Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

★★★★★★4.6/5 (9)
7 nights
22 miles/day
Self guided from EUR € 890
Bike and Boat Tour aboard Arkona or De Willemstad
Countries: Holland
Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours Bike and boat tours
Book this tour
Ask a tour advisor

Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

★★★★★★4.6/5 (9)

Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours Bike and boat tours

7 nights
22 miles/day
Self guided from EUR € 890
Bike and Boat Tour aboard Arkona or De Willemstad
Countries: Holland

Book this tour
Ask a tour advisor
Why book with us?

Tap above to jump to different sections of this tour

  • Discover Dutch culture along the waterways of Friesland and Northern Holland.

    Nowhere else in the world will you find an area as fascinating to explore as the Dutch Provinces of North Holland and Friesland, two areas rich in tradition, full of romantic fishing and harbor villages, picturesque lakes, and expansive North Sea vistas. Over the course of your week onboard your floating hotel, the ship DE Willemstad, you will be able to discover typical Dutch culture in picturesque harbor towns and small villages while you cycle through a flat "polder land," extensively reclaimed over the centuries from the North Sea.

    What you will soon realize is the truth behind the proverb "God created the earth but the Dutch made Holland." This has been proven through the extent of land reclamation in the region you will be cycling through. Since the 17th century, in an effort to save disappearing land from encroaching water, protective dikes have been built, low-lying land has been pumped dry, and tidal dams have been created in creeks to prevent flooding. Today’s green flat polder landscape is full of agricultural enterprise.

    Given the Dutch love of cycling, the region is crisscrossed with many quiet cycle tracks that stretch from one end of the region to the other. You will be amazed by the beauty of the North Sea beaches, the towering sand dunes – who said there were no hills in Holland! – the extremely bike-friendly island of Texel, the beautiful flat landscapes, small dreamlike farm villages, and picturesque harbor villages. During the second part of the tour, you will cross the large lake IJsselmeer to Stavoren in the Province of Friesland.

    Other highlights during your week tour include the open-air museum "Zaanse Schans," the historic city center of Alkmaar and the old harbor cities of Medemblik, Enkhuizen, Hoorn and Volendam, the islands of Texel and Marken, and, of course, Amsterdam with its beautiful canals.

    • Dutch tulips! Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie@Flickr
    • Zaanse Schans, Zaandam, the Netherlands. ASwathyn@Unsplash
    • Tulip fields forever in Holland! ©Hollandfotograaf
    • Holland by Bike and Boat - the Northern Tour
    • Zaanse Schans, Zaandam, the Netherlands. ASwathyn@Unsplash
    • Alkmaar, North Holland, the Netherlands. Sven Brandsma@Unsplash
    • Zaandam, the Netherlands. ASwathyn@Unsplash
    • Volendam, North Holland, the Netherlands. Ruud Slinger@Unsplash
    • Holland by Bike and Boat - the Northern Tour
    • Volendam, North Holland, the Netherlands. Nazim Coskun@Unsplash

    View more photos

    Highlights

    • Zaanse Schans- open air museum
    • Texel and it's beaches
    • Zuiderzeemuseum
    • Historic harbor towns and picturesque villages
    • Amsterdam with its canals

    Learn More

    Learn more about self-guided trips.

    Holland Bike & Boat Northern Tour

    Photos 

  • Tour Photos

    Traveler photos

    • (photo by Carol Morningstar)
    • (photo by Carol Morningstar)
    • (photo by Carol Morningstar)
    • (photo by Carol Morningstar)
    • Bikes on dikes (photo by Marie DeBell)
    • Delicious meals! (photo by Marie DeBell)
    • Just the right size boat (photo by Marie DeBell)
    • Snacks during the evening presentation (photo by Marie DeBell)
    • (photo by Stephen Graham)
    • A great bike path through the fields. (photo by Ozzie)
    • A lunch stop (photo by Ozzie)

    Holland Bike & Boat Northern Tour

     Tour Description Daily Program 

  • Daily program

    Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam | Cruise Amsterdam – Zaandam
    Embarkation between 2:00-4:30pm in Amsterdam. Take the opportunity to go shopping or explore downtown Amsterdam, world famous for its canals, its quirky "leaning" buildings, museums, the Anne Frank House, the Waterlooplein Flea Market, the Dam Square in the historical center and heart of the city. Welcome meeting, cocktail, and first briefing on board at 5:00pm. During dinner, the boat will cruise to Zaandam.
    Overnight in Zaandam.

    Day 2: Cycle Zaandam – "Zaanse Schans" – Alkmaar (27 miles/44 km)
    The first bike trip of this tour takes you via small villages through the beautiful flat and green polder landscape. The first stop is at the Zaanse Schans open-air museum (free entry) with its traditional Old Dutch wooden houses, windmills and the cheese and clog factory. After this visit you will cycle through the “Land of Leeghwater,” a green polder area between Amsterdam, Alkmaar and Hoorn. Stroll through the former whaler’s village De Rijp and pass by the windmills of Schermerhorn. Your ship will be waiting for you near the historical city center of Alkmaar.
    Overnight in Alkmaar.

    Day 3: Dune tour: Cycle round-trip Alkmaar | Cruise Alkmaar – Den Helder (20 miles/33 km or 25 miles/40 km)
    Today you can discover the beautiful North-Holland Dune reserve. This is a 5,300-hectare forest and dune area with its unique landscapes. The drinking water for almost the whole province of North-Holland is gained in these dunes. After a visit to the beach and artists village Bergen you will return to Alkmaar where you can visit the wonderful city center. In the afternoon your ship will sail over the North-Holland Canal to the navy harbor of Den Helder.
    Overnight in Den Helder.

    Day 4: Ferry to North Sea island of Texel; roundtrip tour from 't Horntje | Cruise Den Helder – Den Oever (your choice of distance: 20-30 miles/ 34-51 km)
    During breakfast, you'll take a 20 minutes ferry ride from Den Helder to the isle of Texel (ticket included in tour cost), where you can take a cycling tour on the largest of the Dutch North Sea Isles. You will cycle through beautiful natural parks and have the opportunity for a stop and some bathing at the beach. Suggestion: cycle the beautiful “Thijsse-route” (with signposting, approximately 25 miles) through picturesque villages and landscapes and visit the seal sanctuary “Ecomare.” In the afternoon you'll cycle back to Den Helder, and during dinner you'll cruise to Den Oever.
    Overnight in Den Oever.

    Day 5: Cruise Den Oever – Stavoren | Cycle Southwest Friesland round trip (27 miles/43 km or 34 miles/55 km)
    The vessel will cross the large inland lake IJsselmeer to cruise to Stavoren in the Province of Friesland. You can opt for a shorter or longer cycling tour: discover the nature area of Gaasterland or explore a part of the wide lake district, that Friesland is well-known for. You can also combine both options. Night in Stavoren, one of the famous 11 cities of Friesland.
    Overnight in Stavoren.

    Day 6: Cruise Stavoren – Medemblik | Cycle Medemblik – Hoorn – Enkhuizen (24 miles/39 km or 31 miles/51 km)
    Your ship will cross the IJsselmeer again during breakfast. Take the short bike trip from Medemblik along the IJsselmeer coast directly to Enkhuizen, where you can spend the afternoon. Enkhuizen is an old city with many centuries of maritime tradition. The “herring city” boasts a beautiful old harbor, a historical old town center, and the very interesting Zuiderzeemuseum. If you prefer a longer cycling tour, ride from Medemblik to the former Dutch East India Company town of Hoorn, in the 17th century one of the world’s leading harbors. Enjoy your lunch break and make a short stroll in the old city center. Continue by bike to Enkhuizen via some picturesque rural villages. In the evening you can join a short city walk.
    Overnight in Enkhuizen.

    Day 7: Cruise Enkhuizen – Volendam | Cycle Volendam – Waterland – Amsterdam (17 miles/28 km or 31 miles/50 km)
    During breakfast, the ship will cruise to Volendam. Your final day of cycling will lead you through the beautiful area of Waterland with its hundreds of small lakes and tiny canals. Near Volendam you will have the opportunity to visit a cheese farm. Recommended (extra miles) is a detour to the former island of Marken, to continue through the water shaped region of Waterland back to the Dutch capital city of Amsterdam.

    The afternoon and evening are yours to enjoy everything Amsterdam has to offer. If you didn't go for a canal tour on the first day, you will have the opportunity to do so today.
    Overnight in Amsterdam.

    Day 8: Amsterdam: Disembarkation
    After breakfast, disembarkation by 9:30am and end of the tour.

    If guests don’t want to cycle a day (or more) they can relax and stay on board while the ship is cruising. Please note: lunch will not be served on board, so you can enjoy your packed lunch. In case of unfavorable weather conditions, the captain may decide to change the route.

    Photos

    • Dutch tulips! Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie@Flickr
    • Zaanse Schans, Zaandam, the Netherlands. ASwathyn@Unsplash
    • Tulip fields forever in Holland! ©Hollandfotograaf
    • Holland by Bike and Boat - the Northern Tour
    • Zaanse Schans, Zaandam, the Netherlands. ASwathyn@Unsplash
    • Alkmaar, North Holland, the Netherlands. Sven Brandsma@Unsplash
    • Zaandam, the Netherlands. ASwathyn@Unsplash
    • Volendam, North Holland, the Netherlands. Ruud Slinger@Unsplash
    • Holland by Bike and Boat - the Northern Tour

    View more photos

    Holland Bike & Boat Northern Tour

     Photos Accommodation 

  • Accommodation

    Boats

      The Arkona is a new boat to our collection. It was completely refurbished in 2018 prioritizing comfort and elegance. It has two deck levels, a lovely dining room, and a partially shaded sundeck making it the perfect place to relax after a day of cycling. Read more

      Overview

      • Upper deck
        • 12 two-bed cabins with large floor to ceiling windows that can open from the top down to midpoint
        • 2 single bed cabins with panoramic windows that open

      De Willemstad was originally used on the Danube waterways. After it's complete renovation in 2017/2018, the boat now cruises the waterways of Holland. Read more

      Overview

      • Salon/bar on the upper deck with panoramic windows
      • Air conditioned restaurant on the lower deck
      • Partially covered sundeck

    Holland Bike & Boat Northern Tour

     Daily program Bikes 

  • Bikes

    • Standard Touring Bike - Azor

      • Unisex, aluminum frame
      • Handbrakes
      • Shimano 7-speed nexus drive
      • Selle-Royal gel saddle
      • Fixed lock
      • Schwalbe Marathon tires

      Included with the bike rental:

      • Detachable pannier bag
      • Pump
      • Repair kit

      Electrically Assisted Bike - Azor Steps (limited number, upon request)

      • Nexus 7-gears
      • Handbrakes
      • Selle-Royal gel saddle
      • Shimano motor (400 WH) with 4 levels of support
      • Gel saddle
      • Fixed lock

      Included with the bike rental:

      • Detachable pannier bag
      • Pump
      • Repair kit

      *More about electrically-assisted bikes >

    • Standard Touring Bike - Azor

      • Unisex, aluminum frame
      • Handbrakes
      • Shimano 7-speed nexus drive
      • Selle-Royal gel saddle
      • Fixed lock
      • Schwalbe Marathon tires

      Included with the bike rental:

      • Detachable pannier bag
      • Pump
      • Repair kit

      Electrically Assisted Bike - Azor Steps (limited number, upon request)

      • Nexus 7-gears
      • Handbrakes
      • Selle-Royal gel saddle
      • Shimano motor (400 WH) with 4 levels of support
      • Gel saddle
      • Fixed lock

      Included with the bike rental:

      • Detachable pannier bag
      • Pump
      • Repair kit

      *More about electrically-assisted bikes >

    Bike Protection:
    Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.

    Holland Bike & Boat Northern Tour

     Accommodation Dates & Prices 

  • Dates & Prices

    Questions about pricing or options? Call +1-215-613-0874 to talk to a Tour Advisor now.



    Jun 14, 2025Jun 14, 2025 (8 cabins left)from € 1390Book
    Jun 21, 2025Jun 21, 2025 (2 cabins left)from € 1390Book
    Jun 28, 2025Jun 28, 2025 (one cabin left)from € 1390Book
    Jul 5, 2025Jul 5, 2025 (fully booked)from € 1290
    Jul 12, 2025Jul 12, 2025 (fully booked)from € 1290
    Jul 26, 2025Jul 26, 2025 (4 cabins left)from € 1290Book
    Aug 2, 2025Aug 2, 2025 (one cabin left)from € 1290Book
    Aug 9, 2025Aug 9, 2025 (one cabin left)from € 1290Book
    Aug 16, 2025Aug 16, 2025 (fully booked)from € 1290
    Aug 23, 2025Aug 23, 2025 (3 cabins left)from € 1390Book
    Aug 30, 2025Aug 30, 2025 (8 cabins left)from € 1390Book
    Sep 6, 2025Sep 6, 2025 (2 cabins left)from € 1390Book
    Sep 13, 2025Sep 13, 2025 (3 cabins left)from € 1290Book
    Sep 20, 2025Sep 20, 2025 (3 cabins left)from € 1140Book
    Sep 27, 2025Sep 27, 2025 (fully booked)from € 990
    Oct 4, 2025Oct 4, 2025 (5 cabins left)from € 890Book
    Mar 28, 2026Mar 28, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1040Book
    Apr 4, 2026Apr 4, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1040Book
    Apr 11, 2026Apr 11, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1040Book
    Apr 18, 2026Apr 18, 2026 (36 cabins left)from € 1190Book
    Apr 25, 2026Apr 25, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    May 2, 2026May 2, 2026 (36 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    May 9, 2026May 9, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    May 16, 2026May 16, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    May 23, 2026May 23, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    May 30, 2026May 30, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    Jun 6, 2026Jun 6, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    Jun 13, 2026Jun 13, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    Jun 20, 2026Jun 20, 2026 (36 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    Jun 27, 2026Jun 27, 2026 (37 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    Jul 4, 2026Jul 4, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    Jul 11, 2026Jul 11, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    Jul 18, 2026Jul 18, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    Jul 25, 2026Jul 25, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    Aug 1, 2026Aug 1, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    Aug 8, 2026Aug 8, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    Aug 15, 2026Aug 15, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    Aug 22, 2026Aug 22, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    Aug 29, 2026Aug 29, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    Sep 5, 2026Sep 5, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1460Book
    Sep 12, 2026Sep 12, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1350Book
    Sep 19, 2026Sep 19, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1190Book
    Sep 26, 2026Sep 26, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 1040Book
    Oct 3, 2026Oct 3, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 890Book
    Oct 10, 2026Oct 10, 2026 (38 cabins left)from € 890Book

    Pricing details and extra options

    Included services

    • 7 nights accommodation in climate-controlled cabin in the booked category
    • Full board (7x breakfast, 6x picnic lunch during bike tours, 7x three-course dinner)
    • Use of bed linen and towels (change of towels daily possible); daily light cleaning of the cabin
    • Welcome drink and speech on the first evening
    • Experienced tour leader (multilingual) with daily briefings of the bike tours, some short city tours, during the day the tour leader is cycling the daily bike tour and can be reached on his/her cell phone while guests are able to cycle on their own if they wish
    • Printed instructions and detailed maps for the daily bike tours (1 set per cabin); GPS tracks
    • Ferry to Texel
    • Use of Wifi on board
    • Daily complimentary coffee and tea till 4:00pm
    • Live music on board

    Special dietary requests may be accommodated; you must include your request at the time of booking. For gluten-free or dairy-free diets, a €50 supplement will be collected on board at arrival.

    Tour Company

    Holland Bike & Boat Northern Tour

     Bikes Other Details 

  • Map

    Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.

    Surface and terrain

    The terrain is flat and the cycle paths are mostly concrete or paved roads. If guests don’t want to cycle a day (or more) then can relax and stay on board while the ship is sailing.

    How to get there

    Tour start and end
    Nearest airport: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
    Nearest train station: Amsterdam Centraal

    It's a short distance from the train station to the pier via taxi.

    Tips on getting to and from your tour

    Holland Bike & Boat Northern Tour

     Dates & Prices Tour Reviews 

  • Reviews

      Write a review

    • ★★★★★ Carol Morningstar 8 months ago

      Wonderful Bike Cruise and exceptional sites to see while biking

      Loved this cruise. We hope to book Croatia next year. The staff was wonderful and our director (Ken I think?) worked tirelessly to make everyone's trip wonderful. The food was good but we were disappointed that we had to pay to get water at dinner. This should always be free! Also we would have liked coffee available all day.

      One complaint was our room. Others who also ordered the basic stateroom had twice the size of ours for the same price. We were in a back room that had minimal space and NO CLOSET space or anywhere to hang anything! We had two shelves each for our clothes. We think it was actually a staff room for one person, yet we had to share it. I needed to climb over my husband to get out of bed at night.
      Not comfortable! That was disappointing but we got used to it and loved the cruise anyway. I do believe it should have been a much reduced price though.

      What was the date of your tour?
      Aug 24 2024
      How many tours have you completed?
      2
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      As expected
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • (photo by Carol Morningstar)
      • (photo by Carol Morningstar)
      • (photo by Carol Morningstar)
      • (photo by Carol Morningstar)
      • 4/5 Value
      • 4/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 2/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection
      • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
    • ★★★★★ Donald Adler 9 months ago

      Smooth

      Well organized, quality people, cycling, scenery.
      The boat was clean, comfortable and an ideal way to see other parts of this region

    • ★★★★★ TIMOTHY BOUWKAMP April 28, 2024

      Awesome

      Weather was cold, rainy, and windy. Service on the boat was great.
      The wifi on the boat was terrible.

    • ★★★★★ Marie DeBell October 16, 2023

      Holland by bike was a delight!

      The perfect way to see northern Holland! The boat was small enough to socialize but big enough to have all the amenities for comfort.
      Our guides were Dutch and really knowledgeable about the routes , the history and the sights. The boat staff were friendly and helpful. Solid bikes. Next time I’ll choose Anne-bike because the wind is equal to hills!

      What was the date of your tour?
      September 2023
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat harder
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • Bikes on dikes (photo by Marie DeBell)
      • Delicious meals! (photo by Marie DeBell)
      • Just the right size boat (photo by Marie DeBell)
      • 5/5 Value
      • 4/5 Included meals
      • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection
      • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
    • ★★★★★ Marie DeBell October 12, 2023

      The landscape is stunning! And the trip loads of fun

      We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with bike tours. The boat was small enough to get to know our fellow passengers and big enough to have lots of amenities. The bikes were sturdy and trustworthy. Lots of distance options and great support from our trip guides. Good food and comfortable beds. What more could we ask for? Perhaps less head winds but it is Holland!

    • ★★★★★ Marie DeBell October 12, 2023

      The landscape is stunning! And the trip loads of fun

      We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with bike tours. The boat was small enough to get to know our fellow passengers and big enough to have lots of amenities. The bikes were sturdy and trustworthy. Lots of distance options and great support from our trip guides. Good food and comfortable beds. What more could we ask for? Perhaps less head winds but it is Holland!

      • Snacks during the evening presentation (photo by Marie DeBell)
    • ★★★★★ Stephen Graham September 7, 2022

      Beautiful area and bike infrastructure

      Fun for experienced riders but also easy for novices to learn the fun of bike touring in such a lovely and historically interesting area. Flat and easy to ride, only a bit of wind & rain sometimes, with great bike lanes everywhere, plus little to carry as the hotel followed us around by water! Only drawback was we would have liked to have dinner in towns and meet locals on some nights, since restaurants were often within steps of the boat, rather than be locked into nightly three-course meals on board as if isolated on the high seas...

      How many tours have you completed?
      3
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      As expected
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • (photo by Stephen Graham)
      • 5/5 Value
      • 5/5 Included meals
      • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 4/5 Route selection
    • ★★★★★ Ozzie July 18, 2018

      A great trip!

      A well organised tour that we thoroughly enjoyed. The crew of De Holland and the tour leader Sandra did a great job..always very helpful and went out of the way to ensure everything ran smoothly. Would be happy to do another bike boat trip.

      What was the date of your tour?
      23/6/2018
      How many tours have you completed?
      1
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      As expected
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      First-time bike tourists
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • A great bike path through the fields. (photo by Ozzie)
      • A lunch stop (photo by Ozzie)
      • 4/5 Value
      • 5/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 4/5 Ease of navigation
      • 4/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection
      • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
    • ★★★★★ 2pedallers July 7, 2018

      A windy but enjoyable ride!

      A good introduction to the history and culture and geography of Northern Holland. Good biking routes, but time constraints and weather impacted our ability to fully enjoy some of the possible outings/stops along the way.

      What was the date of your tour?
      June 16-23, 2018
      How many tours have you completed?
      2
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat easier
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • 4/5 Value
      • 4/5 Included meals
      • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 4/5 Hotels or boat
      • 4/5 Scenery
      • 4/5 Ease of navigation
      • 2/5 Tour documents
      • 4/5 Local tour company services
      • 4/5 Route selection

    Holland Bike & Boat Northern Tour

     Other Details Book this tour